This Full-Page Lyft Ad in the NYT Is Really Just a Big FU to Uber

Yesterday, Lyft revealed its newest initiative in a big way. The rideshare company took out the most valuable ad space in The New York Times (the entire back page of the main section of the Sunday edition) to announce Round Up & Donate—a new program that will allow users to automatically round up their fares and donate the differences to various causes from climate change to civil rights.

But while about two sentences of the full page ad actually described the new initiative, the rest of it was focussed on pushing a feel-good agenda. And really, it all just comes off as a big “fuck you” to Uber.

“And treating people better along the way is just how we do it,” reads one line.

“All you gotta do is take a seat to take a stand,” reads another.

The ad—which can also be seen in full on Lyft’s blog—touts diversity, community and standing up for what’s right. This initiative is one of several ways that Lyft has shown it’s actually committed to these causes.

A Lyft ad that appeared in yesterday’s print edition of The New York Times. John Bonazzo for Observer

For any company in the rideshare business that isn’t Uber, the best marketing strategy is clearly (and has been) to push the fact that it offers the same service but won’t make you feel like a terrible person for using it. Why would anyone ride with Uber, which does X,Y and Z terrible things, when we don’t? That’s the general sentiment.